Arden Key looks like the next Barkevious Mingo for LSU

BATON ROUGE – When Ed Orgeron was hired as LSU’s defensive line coach in mid-January of this year with signing day just weeks away, recruiting experts wrote that he would dramatically improve the Tigers’ 2015 class.

That did not happen in large numbers. Orgeron’s true impact will not be showcased until the class of 2016, but he did get LSU one gem it may not have gotten without his efforts and that of and new defensive coordinator Kevin Steele.

Arden Key, the No. 3 weak side defensive end in the nation according to 247 Sports out of Hapeville Charter in Atlanta, signed with LSU last February over much closer schools South Carolina, Auburn and Georgia. He has been practicing with the first team this week as projected starter Tashawn Bower has been out with a minor injury.

“I’ve gone up against him a few times,” LSU starting left tackle Jerald Hawkins said. “He’s pretty good — long arms. He has a nice get-off. He’s physical. He’s not scared to put his head in there, and I like that about him.”

Key, who is listed at 6-foot-6 and 230 pounds, arrived in excellent shape after signing when he was closer to 217 pounds.

“He came in looking like he’d been here the whole summer,” Hawkins said. “You could tell because of his get-off. He’s a great dude. I’d say I’m faster because I always say I’m faster, but he has real nice feet.”

At first glance, Key looks more like a larger wide receiver than a defensive end. He also immediately has reminded many of former Tiger defensive end Barkevious Mingo, who arrived at LSU out of West Monroe in 2009 also looking like a wide receiver at 6-foot-5 and 209. After redshirting that first season, Mingo played at 6-5 and 235 in 2010 as a regular backup before blossoming as a starter and an All-Southeastern Conference defensive end on the SEC championship team in 2011. He was the sixth pick in the 2013 NFL Draft by Cincinnati, where he remains today.

Key immediately caught LSU coach Les Miles’ eye as did Mingo, though LSU had much more defensive line depth in 2009 when he was redshirted. A red shirt is not in the plans for Key.

“He looks really just in great shape,” Miles said. “He’s up from 217 and strong and fast. He’s a guy that in my opinion will play a lot of snaps as a true freshman.”

LSU lost both defensive end starters from the 2014 team — Jermauria Rasco and Danielle Hunter. Projected starters Lewis Neal and Bower — both juniors — do not have a lot of experience.

“He’s lean and bigger and stronger than he was,” Miles said of Key. “He was maybe skinny before. He isn’t skinny anymore. He’s a big, tall, rangy, fast athlete. We’re excited to see him.”

LSU finished 12th in the SEC in quarterback sacks last season with 19 — the Tigers’ lowest total since recording only 11 in the 2000 season. Key had 15.5 last season in high school and 35.5 in his three-year prep career.

At signing day, Key said he chose LSU because of the number of defensive linemen it has in the NFL. Hunter was drafted by Minnesota in the third round of the 2015 draft. Defensive tackle Ego Ferguson went in the second round to Chicago in 2014. Four were drafted in 2013 — Mingo, Bennie Logan, Sam Montgomery and Lavar Edwards. The last time a defensive lineman from LSU was not picked in the NFL Draft was in 2003. In all, 20 have been picked from 2004-15.

“LSU leads the NFL in providing defensive linemen,” Key, who is not available for comment as Miles does not allow freshmen interviews in most cases, said on Fox Sports South when he signed with LSU. “My dream is to be in the NFL. Coach Miles and Coach Orgeron and Coach Steele — all of them are super hyped guys and love what they do. LSU is family oriented.”

Miles wants Key at the main dinner table right away.

“It’ll be interesting to see how that youngster can conceptually come to a practice and do the things that we’re going to ask him to do down after down at a high level,” he said. “If he can develop that, he’ll play a lot of football.”

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